Natural ways to improve your memory

5. Get enough sleep

Lack of proper sleep has been associated with poor memory for quite some time.
Sleep plays an important role in memory consolidation, a process in which short-term memories are strengthened and transformed into long-lasting memories.
Research shows that if you’re sleep deprived, you could be negatively impacting your memory.
For example, one study looked at the effects of sleep in 40 children between ages 10 and 14 years.
One group of children was trained for memory tests in the evening, then tested the following morning after a night’s sleep. The other group was trained and tested on the same day, with no sleep between training and testing.
The group that slept between training and testing performed 20% better on the memory tests (17Trusted Source).
Another study found that nurses working the night shift made more mathematical errors and that 68% of them scored lower on memory tests compared with nurses working the day shift (17Trusted Source).
Health experts recommend adults get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night for optimal health (18Trusted Source).
Summary Studies have consistently associated
sufficient sleep with better memory performance. Sleep helps consolidate
memories. You’re also likely to perform better on memory tests if you’re well
rested than if you’re sleep deprived.

6. Practice mindfulness

Mindfulness is a mental state in which you focus on your present situation, maintaining awareness of your surroundings and feelings.
Mindfulness is used in meditation, but the two aren’t one and the same. Meditation is a more formal practice, whereas mindfulness is a mental habit you can use in any situation.
Studies have shown that mindfulness is effective at lowering stress and improving concentration and memory.
One study of 293 psychology students showed that those who underwent mindfulness training had improved recognition-memory performance when recalling objects compared with students who did not receive mindfulness training (19Trusted Source).
Mindfulness has also been linked with a lower risk of age-related cognitive decline and an overall improvement in psychological well-being (20Trusted Source).
Incorporate mindfulness techniques into your daily routine by paying more attention to your present situation, concentrating on your breathing, and gently resetting your attention when your mind wanders.
Summary Practicing mindfulness techniques has been
associated with increased memory performance. Mindfulness is also linked to
reduced age-related cognitive decline.